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SAVVY SAVINGS: Kid's Clothing

Monday, March 14, 2011

So I'm walking through Target the other day and as I'm trying to maneuver around two (clueless) moms lollygagging around in their designer heels pushing their high-end strollers, I hear the one say to the other as she held up an adorable polka dot dress;

"For sure. BUT it's Target ya know!?""I know. So get this - I found the most fabulous deal the other day for Kylie. A pink zip up Juicy jacket for $70! A-mazing!!"

Time-out...$70 for one kid's item?? I don't care if it's Juicy Couture, that insane. And downright ridiculous to drop that much cash on clothing that kids are going to wear a handful of times and outgrow before you know it. C'mon. The topic of kid's clothing is such a hot button for me. Maybe money isn't an issue for those two particular women but I can almost guarantee that those wives have husbands who are out busting their butts in a down economy and sadly their wives are out spending money they don't have and putting them deeper and deeper in debt paying only the minimum balance on their credit cards. All for Kylie to look cute in her $70 zip hood that nobody even notices.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about buying quality kid's clothing that will last. But this is an area where when money is tight, you should be saving. Below are 10 creative cost-cutting techniques to save more and spend less on kid's clothing according to Allyou.com and my own personal tidbits. Some of the tips can apply to your own personal shopping as well.

1. Go on deal days: Target usually slashes kids’ clothing prices on Mondays; Old Navy and Gap often mark down items midweek. Keep in mind that most major retailers offer price adjustments, so ask for one if an item goes on sale soon after you purchased it.

2. Be counter-intuitive: By shopping the sales at the end of each season for the following year, you’ll pay a fraction of the full retail price.

3. Shop stores like TJMaxx or Marshalls. Their prices for name brand clothing are unbeatable. Last week to kill time before picking up Dave at airport I snagged up $130 worth of Ralph Lauren polo shirts for Chase and Lance. Had I paid full price at Nordstrom for these 10 polo shirts, I would have paid $293. Talk about a deal yo!

4. Thrift and consignment stores usually allow you to sell your own kids’ clothes for credit at the store, which can reduce or eliminate your bill entirely. Buying on Craigslist and Ebay will also save you $$$.

5. Shop the sales: For even deeper discounts at consignment stores, keep up with current promotions near you at consignmentmommies.com.

6. Trade outgrown clothes for new ones at thredup.com, kizoodle.com, zwaggle.com and peaceloveswap.com. Thredup is personally my favorite. It's website is easy to search and the concept is brilliant. If only they posted pictures of the clothes.

7. Shop alone: Duh - no brainer! Along with saving you your sanity, it will curb impulse buys if you leave the kiddos at home.

8. Buy clothes that will last: To get the most bang for your buck, look for items in classic colors and patterns that are likely to match your child’s current wardrobe. Avoid trendy pieces that will look dated before they wear out.

9. Don’t overbuy: How many times have you cleaned out your daughter’s bulging dresser only to find clothes she never wore before she outgrew them? Weed out clothing regularly to keep the selection easily accessible, and once your kids have enough clothes in their size, STOP buying.

10. Join a local Moms Club: These are a great resource for connecting with other moms in your area for advice, child care and play groups, and to buy, sell or swap kids’ items.